Author: Jamie Moscovitz Grade Level: 10 Course: Biology, College Prep
Purpose of Unit
This unit is going to build upon students knowledge of how genes of living things are determined and passed on from parent to offspring. It will also help students understand how genetic variability occurs and how mutations can cause disease or benefit a population. This unit will break many misconceptions students may have about heredity and how certain diseases can be recognized and possible cured. Finally, from the material that students learn from this segment they will have a better understanding of the Human Genome Project, why genetics is the major focus of medicine in the 21st century and where these studies might be leading.
My unit plan is going to be for a sophomore year college prep Biology course at Narragansett High School. I will also be adapting the material for an advanced class. I will be taking over the classroom mid-genetics unit. My lessons will have to do with mitosis and meiosis, mutations, punnet squares, and two-factor crosses. Also, all Biology students must participate in a “DNA day” which is a symposium with speakers and rotating labs between teachers. There will be an inquiry based mutation lab having to do with radishes that have undergone radiation in which students will have to monitor some aspect of the plant to determine where the genetics differ, a genetics "gene dropping" activity to determine dominant and recessive trait expression in which students will have to work together, draw and explain, a mitosis/meiosis jigsaw puzzle and a lab that students will also have to include in their portfolio. I will have more details about that lab in particular after I discuss with my CT further.
Learning Performances and Standards
LS1 (9-11) - 2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the molecular basis for heredity by … 2b explaining how DNA may be altered and how this affects genes/heredity (e.g. substitution, insertion, or deletion).
Concepts contained in 2b:
What are the kinds of mutations, frame shift, addition, subtraction, substitution?
What are the effects of those mutations? No effect. Effects that are passed on, effects that are advantageous, effects that are disadvantageous, fatal effects.
Where and when will mutations matter? Mutations in gametes can be passed on, otherwise not. Some mutations do not change amino acids, due to synonomous codons. Sometimes, mutations have no effect on protein function.
What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
Mutations are always bad,
mutations cause super powers,
mutations are the same as cancer.
Students misunderstand scale of DNA.
LS3 (9-11) - 7 Students demonstrate an understanding of Natural Selection/ evolution by… 7a investigating how information is passed from parents to offspring by encoded molecules (e.g. evidence from electrophoresis, DNA fingerprinting). 7b investigating how the sorting and recombination of genes in sexual reproduction results in a great variety of possible gene combinations in the offspring of any two parents. (e.g. manipulate models to represent and predict genotypes and phenotypes, Punnett Squares, probability activities).
Concepts contained in 7a and 7b:
Probability and Ratios- Students need to understand that probability is the chance of an event happening. In relation to genetics, the types of traits an offspring will possess depend on probability. A ratio is a comparison of two different occurences (i.e. 3/4 brown eyes: 1/4 blue eyes).
Traits- characteristics of an individual such as hair and eye color, height, or skin color.
Independent Assortment- The theory that alleles separate from each other during sexual reproduction to give an equal probability of offspring receiving a trait.
Monohybrid cross- cross between one trait from two different organisms
Dihybrid cross- cross between two traits from two different organisms
Punnet Squares- diagram used to predict the outcomes of a particular monohybrid, dihybrid, etc. genetic cross. A punnett square assumes independent assortment of the alleles or a particular trait.
Genotype vs. Phenotype- A genotype is the genetic makeup of an individual (i.e. Bb), while the phenotype is the actual trait characteristic (i.e. blue eyes)
Parent - Offspring Relationships
Trait Inheritance
Natural Selection and Evolution- Natural selection is the process by which traits become more or less common in a population depending on how the traits contribute to the survival of the organism. Evolution is the change of traits in a population over time.
What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
The following topics may cause student misconceptions:
Punnet squares and how to complete them
The difference between monohybrid and dihybrid.
The difference between phenotype vs. genotype.
Nature vs. Nurture in Natural Selection
LS3 (Ext) - 7 Students demonstrate an understanding of Natural Selection/ evolution by… 7aa distinguishing the stages of mitosis and meiosis and how each contributes to the production of offspring with varying traits 7bb researching and reporting on the contributions of key scientist in understanding evolution and natural selection (e .g. Darwin, Wallace, Mendel).
Concepts contained in 7aa and 7bb:
Understanding of important scientists (contributions, theories, hypothesis')
Meiosis I & II (Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase)
Crossing Over
Sister chromatids
Homologous Chromosomes
Diploid vs Haploid
What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
Many confusions between the I & II parts of Meiosis
Diploid vs Haploid
Homologous Chromosomes vs Sister Chromatids
Centromeres splitting during Anaphase II NOT Anaphase I
Crossing Over during Prophase I NOT prophase II
Objectives:
Students will be able to connect Mendel and his pea plant experiments to gene segregation.
Students will be able to define independent assortment.
Students will be able to create a visual of how genetic variability works, and explain it in words.
Students will be able to differentiate between the phases of mitosis and meiosis.
Students will be able to create a jigsaw puzzle including all of the steps of mitosis or meiosis in order.
Students will be able to solve a jigsaw puzzle created by a fellow student of the phases of mitosis and meiosis completely.
Students will be able to identify the different types of mutations that can occur with DNA.
Students will be able to depict the different types of mutations that can occur with DNA.
Students will be able to observe mutation in a radish.
Students will be able to create their own experiment to study mutations.
Students will be able to analyze qualitative and quantitative data to make assumptions about radiation.
Students will be able to use what they have learned about genetics to defend their argument.
Describe how you will assess your students' understanding of the unit's learning goals throughout the unit. These assessments should include formative assessments, e.g. questions that you ask that probe probable misconceptions, embedded assessments, e.g. activity artifacts, and summative assessments, e.g. tests and quizzes. Note: You are encouraged to use the assessment developed in class in this section.
This topic is made meaningful to students because it not only relates what they are learning to who they are and why they are all unique, but also gives them an abundance of visuals to reinforce a topic which is hard to understand conceptually. Students learning is assessed by their participation and completion of lab activities which occur in groups and individually. Students have several options in each lab to make their learning experience unique and connect it to something that they might be interested in over something else. These labs were designed to allow students to be scientists in their classrooms, and actively investigate a topic by asking their own questions and taking different routes to answer them all involving collecting data. Because I am coming into the unit after it has already been started, it will be important to have a review test of what students have learned before to make sure they are starting mitosis and meiosis with the basic information they need. Students will start with cell division which can be elaborated on during mutations after they have the basic steps. Punnet squares and genetic crosses will be learned after cell division to ensure that students understand meiosis and WHY genetic recombination can occur before they actually see specific examples of HOW it occurs. Finally, I will enter into my lessons on two-factor crosses because they are another critical step past the basic Punnet square. The lessons flow from basic material to more elaborate topics that expand on the prior lesson. Students will have help in making sense of the material because it will be presented to them in multiple ways that will address all different types of learning styles. The labs are multisensory, involving kinesthetics, visuals and writing. This unit will include many diagrams and both group and independent work. As I learn the chemistry of each of the classes I will further develop my techniques to apply to the particular individuals in his classes and their needs.
Title: DNA and Genetics
Author: Jamie Moscovitz
Grade Level: 10
Course: Biology, College Prep
Purpose of Unit
This unit is going to build upon students knowledge of how genes of living things are determined and passed on from parent to offspring. It will also help students understand how genetic variability occurs and how mutations can cause disease or benefit a population. This unit will break many misconceptions students may have about heredity and how certain diseases can be recognized and possible cured. Finally, from the material that students learn from this segment they will have a better understanding of the Human Genome Project, why genetics is the major focus of medicine in the 21st century and where these studies might be leading.My unit plan is going to be for a sophomore year college prep Biology course at Narragansett High School. I will also be adapting the material for an advanced class. I will be taking over the classroom mid-genetics unit. My lessons will have to do with mitosis and meiosis, mutations, punnet squares, and two-factor crosses. Also, all Biology students must participate in a “DNA day” which is a symposium with speakers and rotating labs between teachers. There will be an inquiry based mutation lab having to do with radishes that have undergone radiation in which students will have to monitor some aspect of the plant to determine where the genetics differ, a genetics "gene dropping" activity to determine dominant and recessive trait expression in which students will have to work together, draw and explain, a mitosis/meiosis jigsaw puzzle and a lab that students will also have to include in their portfolio. I will have more details about that lab in particular after I discuss with my CT further.
Learning Performances and Standards
LS1 (9-11) - 2Students demonstrate an understanding of the molecular basis for heredity by …
2b explaining how DNA may be altered and how this affects genes/heredity (e.g. substitution, insertion, or deletion).
Concepts contained in 2b:
What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
- Mutations are always bad,
- mutations cause super powers,
- mutations are the same as cancer.
- Students misunderstand scale of DNA.
LS3 (9-11) - 7Students demonstrate an understanding of Natural Selection/ evolution by…
7a investigating how information is passed from parents to offspring by encoded molecules (e.g. evidence from electrophoresis, DNA fingerprinting).
7b investigating how the sorting and recombination of genes in sexual reproduction results in a great variety of possible gene combinations in the offspring of any two parents. (e.g. manipulate models to represent and predict genotypes and phenotypes, Punnett Squares, probability activities).
Concepts contained in 7a and 7b:
What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
- The following topics may cause student misconceptions:
- Punnet squares and how to complete them
- The difference between monohybrid and dihybrid.
- The difference between phenotype vs. genotype.
- Nature vs. Nurture in Natural Selection
LS3 (Ext) - 7Students demonstrate an understanding of Natural Selection/ evolution by…
7aa distinguishing the stages of mitosis and meiosis and how each contributes to the
production of offspring with varying traits
7bb researching and reporting on the contributions of key scientist in understanding evolution and natural selection (e .g. Darwin, Wallace, Mendel).
Concepts contained in 7aa and 7bb:
What misconceptions are students likely to have about these topics?
Objectives:
Students will be able to connect Mendel and his pea plant experiments to gene segregation.Students will be able to define independent assortment.
Students will be able to create a visual of how genetic variability works, and explain it in words.
Students will be able to differentiate between the phases of mitosis and meiosis.
Students will be able to create a jigsaw puzzle including all of the steps of mitosis or meiosis in order.
Students will be able to solve a jigsaw puzzle created by a fellow student of the phases of mitosis and meiosis completely.
Students will be able to identify the different types of mutations that can occur with DNA.
Students will be able to depict the different types of mutations that can occur with DNA.
Students will be able to observe mutation in a radish.
Students will be able to create their own experiment to study mutations.
Students will be able to analyze qualitative and quantitative data to make assumptions about radiation.
Students will be able to use what they have learned about genetics to defend their argument.
Lesson Sequence
Genetics Lesson 1Genetics Lesson 2
Genetics Lesson 3
Genetics Lesson 4
Genetics Lesson 5
Assessment Plan
Describe how you will assess your students' understanding of the unit's learning goals throughout the unit. These assessments should include formative assessments, e.g. questions that you ask that probe probable misconceptions, embedded assessments, e.g. activity artifacts, and summative assessments, e.g. tests and quizzes. Note: You are encouraged to use the assessment developed in class in this section.
Genetics Final Assessment.docx
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Rationale
This topic is made meaningful to students because it not only relates what they are learning to who they are and why they are all unique, but also gives them an abundance of visuals to reinforce a topic which is hard to understand conceptually. Students learning is assessed by their participation and completion of lab activities which occur in groups and individually. Students have several options in each lab to make their learning experience unique and connect it to something that they might be interested in over something else. These labs were designed to allow students to be scientists in their classrooms, and actively investigate a topic by asking their own questions and taking different routes to answer them all involving collecting data. Because I am coming into the unit after it has already been started, it will be important to have a review test of what students have learned before to make sure they are starting mitosis and meiosis with the basic information they need. Students will start with cell division which can be elaborated on during mutations after they have the basic steps. Punnet squares and genetic crosses will be learned after cell division to ensure that students understand meiosis and WHY genetic recombination can occur before they actually see specific examples of HOW it occurs. Finally, I will enter into my lessons on two-factor crosses because they are another critical step past the basic Punnet square. The lessons flow from basic material to more elaborate topics that expand on the prior lesson. Students will have help in making sense of the material because it will be presented to them in multiple ways that will address all different types of learning styles. The labs are multisensory, involving kinesthetics, visuals and writing. This unit will include many diagrams and both group and independent work. As I learn the chemistry of each of the classes I will further develop my techniques to apply to the particular individuals in his classes and their needs.